Cloning Questions
by CDR Sheridan
Summary: AU, in which Shepard managed to save her clone. What would they do, if Commander would be seriously wounded?..


**Feedback**: Always appreciated.

**Disclaimer**: These characters definitely are not mine.

**Author's Note**: Well, I just came down with some thoughts about Shepard's clone. Besides, haven't written anything here for some time. Sorry for my English.

* * *

"So, have you found her?" the asari asked casually, still staring at some bright liquid in her tall glass. Shepard, startled with surprise, looked at her with suspicion.

"Really, Commander?" Kaidan supported Liara. "What else could you search in that direction? Alone?"

In fact, he and Liara had already discussed this question several hours ago, when Shepard returned on board, clearly wondering about something, some dark brown stains on her clothes. There was no information from her as she carefully avoided their questions and started the talk off in a different direction. Finally, they gave up and offered her to visit the casino, just to have some fun and rest. After all, they just didn't want to leave her in such mood alone.

"There were stains of poorly cleaned blood on your hands." Alenko reminded her. "And also, your uniform."

"Not mine. All right!" Shepard waved her hand, giving up. "Yes, I have found her, if you want to know."

To be honest, she really wanted to share this with somebody, but wasn't sure how to begin. Besides, she had never told anybody about her personal issues.

"Barely breathing," she added.

"So, she was alive?" Liara asked again with distrust. "But… how is it even possible?"

Shepard shrugged her shoulders.

"My DNA," she supposed tiredly. "And some luck. Well, some bad luck, considering her state…"

Kaidan leant on the bar counter and gestured the barman, silently asking to refill their glasses. His head ached terribly because of the lights and noise, but he had no intentions to leave this place.

"So, you finished your… business?" he asked roughly, not having any doubts about the answer.

Commander sighed and moved her glass away.

"No."

Liara and Kaidan exchanged glances.

"So, she is still alive?" asari asked.

Shepard nodded tardily.

"If she hasn't died, of course. And I have nothing to do with that! I contacted Bailey, he told his guys the coordinates… I just hope that when they carried her to the hospital, they didn't kill her permanently… don't worry, she was in no state to offer resistance."

"Shepard, honestly, you surprise me," Liara said. "I couldn't suppose that you would leave her alive."

"Me neither," Shepard mumbled. "But so it happened."

"And Bailey?" Kaidan asked, wiping his watering eyes with the sleeve of his uniform.

"Promised he would keep his eyes glued on her. Appointed some guard, of course. They will keep this in secret, of course. I don't want Cerberus know that she's alive. Alliance, too. She's dead. Officially."

Shepard helplessly shrugged her shoulders.

"Just… don't tell anybody, okay? Hell, I just couldn't kill her, though I suppose it was wrong not to."

Liara nodded and again returned to her drink. Commander thought that one of Bailey's man, looking after the clone, would report Liara personally.

Then she tiredly put her head on Kaidan's shoulder, trying not to remember the blood trail on the floor and herself, sitting in some dark corner and bleeding, but still breathing and alive…

It was hard to say why she chose not to finish the clone. Shepard didn't have such a stupid habit — to let somebody who had tried to kill her go. Commander convinced herself that the clone could provide her with "a spare arm or a lung", though she wasn't sure if she could use it.

Kaidan just wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer.

* * *

Liara simultaneously tried to take Shepard's armor off her leg and apply some medigel on the wound. Kaidan, white as paper, was holding Commander's shoulders, supporting her, and did his best not to look at her bleeding leg. Shepard seemed to doze off and didn't pay much attention to anything. When she closed her eyes, Major bawled something at her ear and she again come to consciousness.

Cortez made wonders with the shuttle, but Kaidan still thought it was too slow. Maybe, Normandy's medbay didn't have the best equipment for treating some serious wounds, but they certainly had one of the best medics.

As the shuttle landed in the cargo bay, Kaidan picked Shepard up and rushed to the medbay. Liara tried not to fall behind.

* * *

A/N: So, R&R, please. Should I continue this?


End file.
